It looks like I might have 2 days off in December before I head back home and although I didn't think I should go to Tokyo if I only have such limited time, I am now considering it. It seems like there are no "real sights", but I think I'd like to eat at all the veggie restaurants we don't have in Kobe and see a couple of museums plus the Imperial Palace. Are any PPKers there on 15th to 17th December and would like to share the glory of Café Eight with me? Any must-sees? And where is a nice and affordable place to stay for 2 nights?

Come to Tokyo! I can give you a list of vegan places to check out, and I pretty much love any excuse to go to Cafe Eight :D. Also, a vegan friend will be visiting me until the 16th (he was on the old boards, but I don't think he ever got around to signing up on the new one) and I'm sure he'd be into hitting up a bunch of veggie places with you too. Do come!

What kinds of things do you like to do? Do you like history museums? Art museums? Most of my touristy experience of Tokyo has consisted of visiting weird buildings (architecture student), but let's see... Yoyogi Park is pretty amazing, and every weekend there are flea markets or food festivals between Yoyogi park and the Tokyo Stadium, and it's worth checking out the Meiji Shrine too. There are lots of fun neighborhoods to check out if you just like walking around. There is a famous market in Asakusa that has lots of traditional crafts/kimonos/etc but you probably have enough of that stuff in Kobe. I'll add to this as I think of more things...

I don't know of any good hotels/ryokans to stay here, but I'll ask around!

thanks pistachiorose! I was thinking about modern art museums mostly, but the one with the gross parasites is appealing, too. Weird buildings sound fun, I have been to Kyoto several times so I've had my share of shrines and temples and kimonos, but of course I don't mind adding more to that.

Go!!Yoyogi was one of my favorite places to hang out too, and I always liked to take new visitors to ride the Yurikamome line over Ginza and the Tokyo bay at night (not to go anywhere, just ride the train. It's an aerial line and you get a mega Blade Runner feeling from it).The cheapest place I have found to sleep was a ryokan in Gotanda, for 5000 yen I think. That's cheaper than the cheapest business hotels. I found them on a Japanese website and they didn't speak english.

thanks so much pistachio for the theoretical offer, but I totally understand! If we could have lunch or cake instead that would be awesome enough! (Of course if you don't have time that's also ok!)

aelle, thanks, I was gonna pm you anyways since I supposed you had been to Tokyo! I have seen hostels for less than that, probably dirty and awful but it's 2 nights max so I don't really care. Plus English is a must or I'll be helpless.

Well, they still need to confirm but the website stated availability and I am trying to be an optimist. I will get the train tickets soon, too, and then it's on! If anybody wants to meet up (pistachiorose, I don't think there's anybody but you in Tokyo right now?), I should arrive on Dec 15th in the morning (Wed) and I'm leaving on the 17th (Fr), probably in the late afternoon. I think I have a dinner date on the 15th but all other spots are still wide open. I want to go to at least one contemporary art musem, the Meiji-shrine, walk around Shibuya/Shinjuku etc, ride the train aelle recommended after dark, go to the National Museum or one other more "Japanese" museum. I'll see what the veggie guide says for these locations.Thanks for all your tips and the subtle pressure to go!

Have you been to the Mori Museum at Roppongi Hills? It's a contemporary art museum with an apparently pretty good photography/sculpture show on right now, and getting a ticket means you also get to go to the top of the Mori building and see an amazing view of Tokyo.

I'm pretty sure I'm the only ppker in Tokyo right now, unless they're hiding ;) Want to go for tea/dinner at Cafe Eight on the 16th? I'm not sure if my friend can make it because I don't know when he leaves on the 16th, but I'll be available. PM me!